The gigantic door at the front entrance is practically a sculpture, fashioned from metal with brass hinges, which owner Lukas van Niekerk, an engineer, manufactured on site while the house was being built.
THIS HOUSE IN MONAGHAN FARM IN LANSERIA, on a beautiful spot overlooking a bend in the Jukskei River, began with a bold, Brutalist architectural idea - but the result is an incredibly subtle, sensitive response to its setting. The owners, Wendy and Lukas van Niekerk, wanted a home made entirely of steel and raw, exposed concrete, and this spectacular plot of land offered them the chance to build from scratch. Lukas, an engineer, is a huge fan of the work of 20th-century Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, who is famous for his sensitive use of concrete as well as experiments with concrete and steel - and the Van Niekerks' architect, Enrico Daffonchio, went to school in Scarpa's hometown of Venice in Italy. The fates had aligned.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT From the street-level gate by sculptor Conrad Hicks, stairs descend to the front door; a natural plant-filtered swimming pool is raised above ground level, partly in reference to agricultural reservoirs and partly to keep frogs from hopping in; the glass pavilions with "green fingers" between them knit the landscape and architecture together; raised boardwalks wind through the naturalistic planting of local grassland.
Despite what Enrico refers to as its "strong architectural language", the house they designed together is nestled into the landscape and, when viewed from higher up the hill, is practically invisible (helped by the green roofs planted with endemic grasses to recreate the landscape it's built on). It is, quite literally, sunken into the landscape to keep its presence unobtrusive.
The powerful architectural concept of concrete walls, floors and ceilings is balanced by abundant art and sleek joinery.
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THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN ICON
With a long line of very successful ancestors, the new-generation TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PRADO had some big tyres to fill. We look at the approach its design team took to CONTINUE THE LEGACY.
THROUGH THE LENS
We asked one of VISI's favourite photographers, PARIS BRUMMER, to choose her four FAVOURITE CAMERAS. The brief? \"From the fun to the profesh!\"
YOUR GARDEN DAY CROWN
Gardens have the power to unite us - which is why the GARDEN DAY movement encourages plant enthusiasts to don a flower crown and CELEBRATE THEIR GREEN SPACES in unique ways.
RETRO-LICIOUS
Mid-century is not just making an interior design comeback: food is following right behind. So put on your vintage 1950s LUCIENNE DAY-PRINT APRON - or '70s HALSTON JUMPSUIT if you're feeling a little funkier - and get inspired by ABIGAIL DONNELLY's reimagining of classic dishes. Think moulded jellies, finger foods and soft-serve ice cream.
FERMENTATION
When you hear about FERMENTED FOODS, your mind probably goes to pickles and beer. But thanks to a growing interest in Asian staples such as kimchi and miso, we're becoming more used to these flavour profiles, and even seeing them in fine-dining restaurants. We asked ABIGAIL DONNELLY to share her favourite recipes for fermented flavour bombs that you can replicate in your OWN KITCHEN.
THE CERAMICIST
IN AN ART DECO BLOCK IN THE HEART OF CAPE TOWN'S CITY CENTRE, RENOWNED CERAMICIST MERVYN GERS HAS RENOVATED AN APARTMENT TO REFLECT HIS OWN TASTES AND HIS LOVE FOR FIRED AND GLAZED CLAY.
SEAMLESS
SITUATED ON A PRIVATE GAME FARM NEAR RUSTENBURG, THIS BUSHVELD GETAWAY HAS ARISEN FROM THE ASHES OF ITS PREDECESSOR TO PROVIDE ITS JOBURG-BASED OWNERS WITH A TRANQUIL WEEKEND ESCAPE.
BUILDING AN ICON
Kevin Fellingham, principal architect at Kevin Fellingham Architects, and a former lecturer at Cambridge University, UCT and the School of Explorative Architecture, talks about HOUSE HANSON and DENSTONE COURT, built in 1937/38.
THE VANGUARD KELLY WEARSTLER
In this instalment of our series on the new wave of INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS, we look at the super-talented Kelly Wearstler's DISTINCT STYLE and seemingly INFINITE CREATIVITY.
COOL COLLAB OF THE YEAR
In a partnership that highlights the strength and diversity of local talent, this collaboration by LULASCLAN and POPSTRUKT had an unplanned helping hand from VISI.
